Phillips goes to work on Texans’ defenseNew coordinator says fundamentals, technique are keys to improving unit

JOHN McCLAIN, Copyright 2011 Houston Chronicle |
January 11, 2011

Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said the team will be “real sound, technique-wise.”

Photo By Nick de la Torre/Chronicle

Nick Schenck, left, Director of Digital Media and Publications for the Texans, says hello to Wade Phillips in Reliant Stadium on Monday. Schenck knows Phillips from when they both worked for the San Diego Chargers.

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On Wade Phillips’ first morning of work as the Texans’ new defensive coordinator, he and coach Gary Kubiak analyzed five game tapes from last season before they headed for an afternoon news conference.

Kubiak and Phillips have to hire assistants to coach defensive backs and linebackers in their new 3-4 defense. They also will have to acquire players in the draft and free agency to shore up weak spots.

“Our biggest challenge is getting through this week and taking what (defensive players) we have and then him (Phillips) putting them in the right spots,” Kubiak said. “We need to walk out of here at the end of this week saying, ‘OK, here’s where we see these guys fitting.’

“Now, how deep do we have to go in free agency? How deep do we have to go in the draft to make sure that we’ve got depth and we feel good about our starters?”

The Texans will be acquiring players for their defensive line, linebacking corps and secondary. And they will pursue free agents.

In 2009, the Texans ranked third in player payroll with $122.7 million. Only the New York Giants ($137.6 million) and Miami Dolphins ($126.8 million) spent more on players than the Texans, according to figures compiled by USA Today.

“We’ve definitely got to get better, and that’s across the board,” Kubiak said. “In free agency, if there’s a corner or a defensive lineman, if that helps us, we’ve got to look at those options.”

Much to be done

The Texans ranked last in pass defense. If they don’t re-sign with their current teams, there are going to be some talented cornerbacks available in free agency.

It is against NFL rules for teams to comment on players who are under contract. All players are under contract until March 4 — the day the lockout will begin if a new collective bargaining agreement isn’t signed.

“I don’t know if there’s just one move,” Kubiak said. “I think we’ve got to look at a variety of things. There are possibilities with some of our players (secondary) actually moving. That’s something that we’ve talked about.”

Phillips, who is coaching in the East-West Shrine Game at Orlando, Fla., next week, said that his 3-4 scheme is closer to a 4-3 because the linemen have one-gap responsibilities rather than two. Rather than have them read and react, he wants his linemen shooting the gaps and getting pressure on the quarterback.

“I think the pass rush has a lot to do with it,” Phillips said about the Texans’ ranking last in pass coverage. “It’s easy to blame it on one end, but it’s a whole group. It’s the rush and the coverage.”

In Phillips’ last four jobs as defensive coordinator, he has improved the sack total in his first season three times. The other time took him until his second season.

Phillips, who signed a three-year contract — most of this year’s salary is paid by the Dallas Cowboys — improved the sack total by 11 at Denver, 23 at Buffalo and 10 at Atlanta. San Diego’s sack total went down one in his first season but improved by 17 in his second season and by 31 in his third season, when the Chargers led the NFL with 61.

The Texans had 30 sacks this season.

“We’re going to be real sound, technique-wise,” Phillips said. “Our philosophy has always been to put in a coverage and work it until you really get it and then go to another coverage, rather than missing some of the details or the things you need to have to be successful in each coverage.

“A lot of these guys have played different coverages. We really emphasize technique and fundamentals in each coverage.”

The Texans entered last season with their top four cornerbacks having one or fewer years of experience.

“You have to play the best players,” Phillips said. “Youth is really not an excuse. It’s playing your best players and making sure they can play that coverage the way you want it played to utilize their abilities. That’s coaching.

“Do we want more bigger, stronger, faster players? Sure. That’s what you always want. You’re not going to have all-stars at every position, no matter where you are. You have to make the average players good and the good players better. Also, turning good players to great players, that’s part of it, too.”

Head coaching likely over

Despite an 83-64 record as a head coach and playoff trips with three different teams, Phillips said he believes his head coaching days are over.

“It’s perception sometimes more than reality in that I’ve won a lot of games in this league and have a real high winning percentage,” Phillips said. “I don’t see me being the head coach again because of the perception overall.

“When you get fired, it’s usually, ‘Hey, he was fired because he can’t win.’ Well, it wasn’t because I couldn’t win, maybe couldn’t win enough. I didn’t win enough at Buffalo. I was 29-19 at Buffalo, which I think they would take right now. I didn’t win enough at (Dallas). You know, 34-22 (34-17 in his first three seasons and 1-7 this season) or whatever it was, a lot of people would take as head coach, but that’s the way it is.”